Strangers on home turf

SHIILLONG: The 2018 Assembly elections was packed with surprises, some pleasant and some unexpected defeats.
Many veteran leaders found themselves without support in their own bastion.
In Shillong, the biggest names which lost the election are Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh from Sohiong who lost to Samlin Malngiang from the Hill State People’s Democratic Party. Lyngdoh secured 11,338 votes while Malngiang won with 11,960 votes.
A major surprise came in West Shillong where UDP MLA Paul Lyngdoh lost to Mahendro Rapsang of the Congress.
Rapsang, who was contesting against Lyngdoh for the second time in a row after the 2013 polls, defeated his rival by a margin of 1,984 votes.
Two-time HSPDP MLA from Nongkrem Ardent Basaiawmoit had a surprise defeat by a narrow margin of 76 votes.
Another setback came in Nongthymmai constituency where sitting UDP MLA Jemino Mawthoh lost.
Veteran leader Rowell Lyngdoh, who deserted the Congress to join NPP, was not re-elected from Mawkyrwat.
Veteran Congress leader Salseng Marak also lost the elections to NPP’s Timothy Shira by a margin of well over 1,500 votes.
Even two-time MLA Ronnie Lyngdoh lost to Hamletson Dohling of the PDF in Mylliem.